[HOT LIST] Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is one week from today, and whether you're the type who loves nothing more than to spend hours in the kitchen cooking the holiday meal or the type who loves nothing more than to spend hours on the couch watching movies and waiting to eat the holiday meal, there are plenty of local options for everyone. Stay at home and cook a locally-raised turkey yourself, have someone else do it for you but reap all the compliments all the same, or just ditch the whole dinner at home thing altogether and have your Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant. No matter what you fancy, here are some great local options.

See also: this great round-up from MLive for those of you out Ann Arbor way (including the Produce Station, Zingerman's Roadhouse, Eat Catering and Carry-out, Weber's Inn, and more). 

Thanksgiving Dinner Package from Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit
For $79.99 you get a whole turkey (feeds 8-10 people) plus stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, orange and cranberry relish, a dozen rolls from On the Rise Bakery, two pies, and real whipped cream. Free range turkey is also available for an additional charge. But hurry, the deadline for orders is noon today!

Butcher Boy Food Products, Warren
Order a whole wild turkey from Butcher Boy Food Products in Warren, a meat processing facility and retail store that specializes in wild game.

Eastern Market Thanksgiving Market, Detroit
Get everything you need for your Thanksgiving dinner at the brand-new Thanksgiving Market next Tuesday, an extension of their popular Tuesday markets. From turkeys to local artisan food products to Christmas trees and gifts, they'll have everything you could want or need for the holidays.

C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill, Wolverine Lake
Order your entire Thanksgiving meal to go from C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse, the new concept from accomplished Executive Chef Jeff Rose, with options for 8-10, 12-15, or 18-20 people. Includes everything you need for your Thanksgiving meal including turkey, sides, and pies for dessert.

Thanksgiving dinner at the Whitney, Midtown
From noon to 6 p.m. $49 adults, $29 for kids. You could do all the cooking yourself, or you can just let them do it for you.

Detroit BBQ Co., Detroit
Going to the Lions game on Thanksgiving Day? Stop by to visit Detroit BBQ Company at Pride Plaza beforehand. Though they're not taking Thanksgiving orders this year, they will have pulled turkey for you to enjoy while you tailgate.

Rock City Eatery, Hamtramck
He may have opened his own restaurant earlier this fall, but to many loyal fans Nikita Santches is and always will be the Pie Guy. Stop by Rock City for your Thanksgiving pie this year. Pick-up is on a first-come, first-serve basis next Tuesday and Wednesday from noon until close. Available flavors are:
-Chocolate Pumpkin
-Cranberry+White Chocolate+Pistachio
-Butterscotch+Bourbon+Pecan
-Salted Caramel+Apple
-Sweet Potato+Whiskey

Whole Foods Market, various locations
Order your turkey, pies, even your whole meal (including wine) online and pick up at your nearest Whole Foods Market location.

Wolfgang Puck Steak, MGM Grand, Detroit
They'll serve their regular menu as well as a special Thanksgiving menu with the following items:
-Roasted Turkey with Cornbread Stuffing
-Potato Puree and Giblet Gravy
-Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake with Cranberry Coulis. The restaurant is open 5-10 p.m.

TAP, MGM Grand, Detroit
Special $22 menu served 11 a.m. to close.
-Roasted Fall vegetable salad with mixed greens, beets, parsnips, citrus vinaigrette
-Roasted turkey, white and dark meat with sage-onion gravy
-Housemade cornbread stuffing
-Creamy garlic mashed potatoes
-Roasted Acorn Squash, brown sugar, butter
-Cranberry – orange sauce
-Parker house roll
-Pumpkin cheesecake

Palette Dining Studio, MGM Grand, Detroit 
Served 11 a.m. to 11 pm. $22 for lunch and $28 for dinner. The weekly Prime Rib and Shrimp Night will start at 4 p.m. for $32.
Soup
Corn Chowder
Salad
Beet and Mandarin Orange Salad
Arugula and Pear Salad
Carving
Roasted Turkey Breast with Giblet Gravy
Entree
Turkey Thigh Meat
Seafood Fusilli Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce
Stuffing
Candied Yams
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Desserts
Praline Pecan Cream Tarts
Pumpkin Rum Raisin Bread Pudding w/ Vanilla Anglaise

[NEWS BITES] Wolfgang Puck's Steak now open inside MGM Grand Detroit

The headline says it all, but read the press release below for the full deets.

***

Wolfgang Puck Steak, an original concept from world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, is now open inside MGM Grand Detroit.

“Wolfgang Puck Steak is our new concept that we created specifically for Detroit and MGM Grand Detroit,” said Wolfgang Puck. “We have a broad menu of the finest steaks with delicious sides and sauces at aprice point for all diners. This is a break from the traditional high-end steakhouse.”

Wolfgang Puck Steak is poised to become the place to see and be seen in Detroit. The contemporary steak restaurant offers guests steakhouse favorites with Wolfgang’s signature style.

“Detroit is the classic example of a city that loves great steak and great value,” said Steve Zanella, general manager of MGM Grand Detroit. “In developing Wolfgang Puck Steak, we worked with Wolfgang and his team to craft a concept which speaks to both of thoseideals. Wolfgang did a superb job of creating a menu that beautifully marries the two.”

At the helm in the kitchen is Executive Chef Marc Djozlija, former chef of Wolfgang Puck Grille and more than 16-year veteran of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. Djozlija also is the executive chef at Puck’s second MGM Grand Detroit restaurant, Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina, which opened in early November.

On the menu is an assortment of grilled steaks and meats, shellfish and fresh fish plus a selection of sauces and side dishes to accompany the entrees. Starters range from classic steakhouse salads including Iceberg Lettuce Wedge with bacon, avocado and blue cheese ranch and Crab & Lobster Louie Salad to an array of appetizers such as Creamy Lobster, Crab and Clam Chowder with house-made crackers and New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp with Cognac-Dijon-Worcestershire sauce.

A variety meats will satiate any appetite including Kansas City Strip Steak, Filet Mignon, Ribeye Steak and a 34 oz. Bone In Rib Chop for Two. Additional entrée selections include The Puck Burger with white cheddar and caramelized onion“jam” on a brioche bun, Colorado Lamb Chops, Rotisserie Free-Range Chicken, and Pan Roasted Two-Pound Maine Lobster. The restaurant features rotating daily specials such as Barbecued Grilled Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and Braised Beef Short Ribs.

All grilled meats include a choice of one accompanying sauce such as Mustard-Cognac, House-Made Steak Sauce, Béarnaise, Peppercorn and Creamy Horseradish. Guests can top their cuts of meat with fried egg, blue cheese, caramelized onions, roasted garlic or Apple Wood smoked bacon. Numerous sides are available including baked, hash brown or mashed potatoes, “Tater Tots,” Onion Rings, Creamed or Garlic Spinach, Three Cheese Mac and Cheese and Loaded Baked Potato.

A sweet ending includes Apple Cobbler with almond streusel and 50 vanilla bean ice cream; Warm Chocolate Soufflé with whipped cream and chocolate sauce; and Coffee and Pecan Ice Cream Pie with graham cracker crust.

The dynamic beverage program features an international wine list with robust red wines and vibrant white wines plus artisan, custom-crafted cocktails. A few standouts include the Adios Nonino with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Luxardo Amaretto and Aperol; the Aviation Violette with Tanqueray No. 10 Gin, Crème de Violette, Luxardo Maraschino and Lemon Juice; and the Samurai Sword made with Yamazaki 12-Year Whisky, Cointreau, House-made Honey Syrup and Lemon Juice.

Wolfgang Puck Steak exudes rustic style and casual warmth through earthy, red, scarlet and brown contemporary décor. Red leather, camel and charcoal tweed, umber cowhide, and scarlet, gold and brown textures combine to create a lively and rich dining environment. The expansive lounge area is perfect for guests either looking to grab a pre-dinner cocktail or to stay through dinner. The restaurant provides flexibility for many sizes groups in the main dining room, large private dining room, wine cellar table or Chef’s Table. Sepia-toned architectural photographs of Detroit’s skylines are screened onto glass divider panels in the lounge and Chef’s Table. Unique fabric wall panels, quilted into an intricate webbed pattern, depict the gridded pattern of city streets. As a nod to the industrious heritage of the Great Lakes area, panels of urban scenes and sculptures made of humble materials complement each other throughout the restaurant. The natural beauty of the region is brought in to the dining areas through images of grasses blowing in the wind at the water’s edge and quiet waters at twilight.

Wolfgang Puck Steak is open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. For reservations, please call 877-888-2121.

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

UK vs US

Tomorrow night the Rattlesnake will be featured on the Detroit episode of Chef Race: UK vs US. Other stops on the BBC America's city your included Eastern Market and the Grosse Ile Yacht Club, but it was in the Snake's kitchen that the elimination challenge took place. Executive Chef Chris Franz even got to take part in the judging. The episode airs Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 10 p.m. on BBC America. [Rattlesnake Official]

Some major kind of filming is happening this week at Vinsetta Garage and Union Woodshop, but they have since scrubbed their Facebook accounts of all mention of it. Good thing I have a good memory (even if I do only ever skim things): Vinsetta and the Woodshop (or is it the Clarkston Union? again, I only ever skim things and for porkssake they both have the word "Union" in the name) will be featured in a new series on the Discovery Channel called "United States of Bacon." Filming is scheduled for this week. [hazy Facebook recollections]

Wolfgang Puck's new Pizzeria + Cucina inside the MGM Grand Detroit is very much open and very much awesome. The space, however, still looks exactly like Saltwater, though perhaps a bit less blingy. [EID FB]

Sometimes a pop-up is more than the sum of its parts. Cafe con Leche del Este is a coffeehouse, yes, but it is equally a community effort and a bit of a social experiment. With help from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation's Revolve Detroit program and many others, this pop-up is both testing the waters and the theory that a community CAN build a business if there is enough demand and support. [Deadline]

And while you're there, try La Lumbre del Diablo. [Thrillist]

1917 American Bistro celebrated three years in business this weekend. [1917 FB]

Old people are the original hipsters. [Deadline]

A rising tide floats all boats in this retail desert that is Detroit. (Though it's a bit of a stretch to position Astro Coffee as a competitor of Sugar House and Slows.) [Det News]

Calder Dairy's egg nog is now available in stores. Oh yes, this is happening people. [EWOW FB]

And I did, too. [Pie-Sci FB]

This too. [EID FB]

Eat It GR
~It's Founders Brewing Co's quinceañera and there is much celebration to be had. [MLive]
~Mitten Brewing is now open and is very sports bar-meets-microbrewery. It's less douchey than it sounds: think more vintage sports memorabilia and less 42 flashing flat screen TVs visible from any point in the room. [Rapid Growth]
~Grand Rapids Brewing Co. is still on track for their Dec. 5 opening. [GRBC FB]
~Someone is living my dream life on Michigan's west coast. Her name is the Cheese Lady, and she recently opened her third location in Grand Rapids in addition to her Muskegon and Kalamazoo shops. [some blog]
~Want to buy a brewery? You can buy this one via Craigslist and have your very own Beer City USA-adjacent microbrewery. Provided you have half a mil. [MLive]

[NEWS BITES] Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina opens tonight

In the wake of last night's monumental election results (the times, they are a'changin'), representatives for MGM Detroit ninja'ed this announcement into their morning emails: Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina, Wolfgang Puck's newest restaurant at the MGM Grand Detroit, is opening today at 5 p.m. They will be open for dinner only, 5 p.m. -10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Monday and Tuesday. Executive Chef Marc Djozlija, a longtime Puck veteran, is once again at the helm.

Below is the full press release. (Note the little added announcement at the bottom.)

Celebrated chef Wolfgang Puck returns to MGM Grand Detroit, the city’s premier entertainment destination, with the opening of Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina, the first of two new Puck restaurants at the hotel casino.

“It’s great to return to Detroit and to the MGM Grand with the opening of our casual Italian concept,” said Wolfgang Puck. “Our Pizzeria + Cucina is the perfect place to relax with family and friends. Great Italian food is all about great ingredients. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just delicious!”

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina offers guests a warm and inviting atmosphere in a comfortable setting with an approachable Italian menu.

“Our guests, who love Italian food and Wolfgang Puck, have been anxiously waiting for Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina to open,” said Steve Zanella, general manager of MGM Grand Detroit. “We are extremely excited to welcome the restaurant to the MGM Grand Detroit family.”

At the helm in the kitchen is Executive Chef Marc Djozlija, former chef of Wolfgang Puck Grille and a 16-year veteran of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. The menu features Puck’s famed wood-oven baked pizzas and pays tribute to Italy through pastas and specialty dishes and is complete with Italian favorites including antipasti, salads, handmade pastas, and enticing entrees featuring delectable meats and fish.

The menu highlights multiple varieties of pizza to choose from including the Margherita Pizza with mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil; Wild Mushroom Pizza with goat cheese, leeks and basil pesto and Italian Sausage Pizza with rapini and roasted garlic.

Additionally, guests can find house-made pastas and rustic Italian dishes including Penne Carbonara with sautéed English peas and crisp pancetta; Rigatoni with Bolognese meat sauce; Seafood Linguini “Fra Diavolo” with clams, shrimp, calamari and spicy tomato sauce; Chicken Piccata with lemon-caper butter sauce; Grilled Salmon with white beans, artichokes and rosemary butter; and Grilled Ribeye Steak with Tuscanpotatoes and salsa verde.

As a perfect finale, Pizzeria + Cucina offers a creative and playful dessert menu featuring classic Italian favorites with a modern twist. Decadent creations include Butterscotch and Bittersweet Chocolate Panna Cotta, Ricotta and Mascarpone Cheesecake with fresh berries and Affogato with hazelnut ice cream drenched with espresso.

The bar features a dynamic beverage list complementing the menu’s exquisite Italian flavors including domestic and international beers and a comprehensive section of wines, many imported from Italy. The bar offers an array of perfectly executed specialty cocktails including the Cucina Manhattan made with Bullet Rye, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth and Bitter Truth "Jerry Thomas" Bitters and the Il Professore with Nardini Grappa, Cocchi Barolo Chinato, Luxardo Morlacco Cherry Liqueur and orange juice.

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria + Cucina is open for dinner only, 5 p.m. -10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Monday and Tuesday. To make reservations, please call 877-888-2121.

A second Wolfgang Puck restaurant, Wolfgang Puck Steak, will open at the hotel this December.

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Porsche repair waiting area.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I'm one flattered motherfucker this week.

Looks like my Pied-Pipering of the poutine scene has finally paid off: both the Freep AND the News saw fit to run stories on it this week. Welcome to the party, guys. Let me know what else I can research for you. In other news, my long-researched Poutine Hot List comes out this week. Yay for my timing. [Freep / News]

Detroit CBS Local ran a story on Great Lakes Coffee this week using the exact same intro I did, except for much less effectively since an corporate media outlet covering the local scene SHOULD be running a story on it regardless and one should also have an established brand and public identity before assuming anyone cares whether or not you add your voice to the chorus. Nice try though. [Detroit CBS Local / EID]

Dan Gilbert disciple Josh Linkner lists "5 incredible people remaking Detroit." Once again, not a single black person highlighted in a story about a city more than 85% black. But he did squeeze in a couple of nods for his and Gilbert's lovechild Detroit Venture Partners! [Forbes]

Cafe Muse is expanding! They've already hired on a new chef to oversee the added space which will be the same but different, part of the restaurant but separate, and with the kind of edgy beer, wine + cocktail list you've come to expect from Muse but even more of it. [Cafe Muse FB / EID FB]

MGM Detroit announces the new restaurant that will replace Wolfgang Puck Grill: TAP, a "sports pub" serving "stylish" comfort food with 50 beers (draft? bottle?) including (some? many?) local brews. We are underwhelmed. [MGM Detroit FB / Marx Layne PR email blast / EID FB / HuffPo / Curbed Detroit]

Convicted felon La-Van Hawkins's latest project, Detroit Cheesecake Bistro, is getting close(r) to opening. [Marx Layne FB]

Have food trucks jumped the shark fin taco yet? [EID FB]

More on the Hantz Farm Hoax: Detroit doesn't like rich people. [Curbed Detroit / Deadline Detroit]

More on the Matt Prentice v. Stan Dickson soap: soooooo much more than you know. Time for a slap fight! [Crain's Detroit]

Is Phil Larson a transplanted Detroiter? The White House's Communications and Policy Analyst chose to highlight the Maker Faire Detroit over any other Maker Faire (of which there are many and much longer-running) in the White House blog. (Who knew they had a blog?) Detroitophilia has hit D.C. [White House]

Not food but a way to make sure you don't get fat: the Detroit Riverwalk broke ground on its final phases of construction this week, HUGE news for locals, tourists, bikers, walkers, Detroit and the world at large. But at least Detroit. Maybe Michigan. But definitely Detroit. [We Are Mode Shift]

The assistant food editor of Food Network Magazine visited MadCap Coffee in Grand Rapids and ate at the Original House of Pancakes and Hunter House Hamburgers in Birmingham after her Porsche broke down and they had to wait for repairs. Yes, life is hard for the assistant food editor of Food Network Magazine. [Food + Femininity]

USA Today Travel names Zingerman's among the country's best interstate eats. [USA Today Travel]

The Most Important Restaurant in America also makes one of the Best Sandwiches. [Freep / Travel Channel]

The Bottom Line Coffee House is now open in Midtown. [TBL FB / Dig Downtown FB]

Awwwwwww!!! Old people are so much better than kids. [Eater National]

Our Co-MFIC lurvs northern MI too. [NY Post]

Every ending is a new beginning. AJ O'Neil, who used to own AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale before closing it in March, will be starting a new cafe in Highland Park where he will keep selling his signature "Detroit Bold" blend. [HuffPo]

Sours. They're a thing. Jolly Pumpkin is bringing sexy lambics back. [BeerPulse]

Mash opened in Ann Arbor. It's in the basement of Blue Tractor. Basically they traded mojitos for bourbon. Otherwise, same. [AnnArbor.com]

Mae's got a patio. It's adorbs. [Mae's FB]

[EID Feature] Michael Mina: The Inconspicuous Celebrity Chef

Photo from dcist.

After a lengthy chat with Wolfgang Puck - arguably the first and most celebrated of celebrity chefs -- and Michael Symon -- the iconoclast-turned-icon -- it seemed only natural to speak to metro Detroit's third nationally-recognized celebrity chef, the comparatively quiet and under-the-radar Michael Mina. 

Mina has two acclaimed restaurants in Detroit: Bourbon Steak and SaltWater, both inside the MGM Grand Detroit. Despite his stature in the culinary world -- and rest assured, he's right up there with the big dogs -- Mina manages to maintain an air of mystery. You don't see him in magazines or on talk shows. He doesn't give a lot of interviews and doesn't have his own TV show. And all of this is very intentional. Mina may seem shy, but in reality he's as affable as the more showboaty chefs -- he has a plan in place, and he's very patient. I had a rare opportunity to speak with this self-professed control freak last week, and this is what he had to say.

Mina grew up in Washington state in Ellensburg. He started his cooking career when he was 15. "I fell in love with it and decided to pursue it and try to make a career out of it." He attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York where he had an opportunity to work with "super chef" Charlie Palmer. Later, after graduating school, he had the chance to move to San Francisco and open his first restaurant, Aqua. (That restaurant would eventually close, but in a move that was both a personal triumph and highly symbolic for Mina, it would later reopen in the same location as the eponymous Michael Mina.) At the time he was only 22 years old. 

Aqua was an all-seafood restaurant and was a "very big success." From there he went on to open what he calls his "favorite" restaurant, Michael Mina at Bellagio in Las Vegas. And this is where I pause. Mina is nothing if not exceedingly humble. In recapping his life story for me at this point he says simple that he "opened a few more restaurants" before skipping ahead to Detroit (which is, of course, my primary point of interest). To clarify, "a few" is a grand total of 19 restaurants over 20 years. Not too shabby for an inconspicuous celebrity chef most people wouldn't recognize if he cooked for them personally right at their table. 

Photo from Eater Las Vegas.

MGM would eventually buy the Bellaggio which led to more opportunities for Mina to open more restaurants in various properties owned by MGM Resorts International -- including Nobhill Tavern and Seablue at MGM and Stripsteak at Mandalay Bay. It was this established relationship with MGM that, much like in the case of Wolfgang Puck, brought Mina to Detroit.

"I did not know much about Detroit but I had a chef, Marc St. Jacques, who had lived in Detroit for the majority of his life and he was very excited. [He said] 'I would love to do it; I would love to go there and work!'" At the time Mina had two restaurants inside the MGM in Las Vegas so they asked him to open two in Detroit (which had a lot to do with how the kitchens are set up and shared; wholly unglamorous reasoning, I know, but reality). 

Mina admits that any hesitation over opening a restaurant (two!) in the city of Detroit in the year 2007 was assuaged by the fact that he would have the built-in clientele of the casino (reality check: this was before Slows became a national media darling, when the dominant Detroit narrative both nationally and locally was one of never-ending doom and gloom; before Kwame was a convicted felon and still our beloved mayor whose biggest scandal was racking up credit card debt with the city's cards, leasing an SUV for his wife at the city's expense, and making some unpopular decisions like shuttering the Belle Isle Aquarium and Zoo ... a mere drop in the bucket for what was to come). 

"It wouldn't be a stretch [to open a fine dining restaurant] if you're from there, but I wouldn't see [Detroit] as a place to open a restaurant if it hadn't been in a casino. With the MGM you have the hotel; it's a draw. But obviously if you spend time [in Detroit you see] the chefs who have been there a long time [who have a] good clientele [base] they have built up over time." As an "outsider" chef in a downtrodden city (that can sometimes take as well to outsiders as the locals in Deliverance...hell, this town will turn on you if you live a mere nine miles north), Mina was definitely taking a chance. But, he says, "Being in the casino you have more interaction right at your front door. That was a draw. And sometimes you have to go just a little bit with your gut feeling."

Slow down before you all start getting defensive and arguing that Detroit is the most bestest city to open anything anywhere ever. He continues, "The clientele in Detroit has been phenomenal." When opening a new restaurant, Mina always stays in the city for a month (again, he is a self-professed control freak). "I made wonderful friends there. These are lifetime friends; I can tell. I talk to them on the phone all the time ... the people [in Detroit] are tremendous. I really enjoyed my time there."

As far as culinary sensibilities, Mina notes, "People say 'Oh people in Detroit don't want this or that'; it was surprising how flexible [the clientele] really [is]." For that month Mina met with purveyors to make sure they could get the products they needed and also interviewed staff. "Those are the two pieces you have to make sure you can get: product and staffing. Then location but it is a little bit different to be inside a casino; you have some built-in clientele. It's not like you're trying to do something in the middle of downtown, leasing a space and building from the ground up."

Photo from Marin Independent Journal.

Mina didn't treat his Detroit locations any differently than any of the other cities. "You have to look at them individually. Every Bourbon we do there's a core to the menu that's about 40% [of the menu]. Besides that it all goes by seasonality which is different everywhere, then we give the chef a little bit of flexibility on the menu to make changes which is dictated by the clientele which evolves over time as you get to know your clientele."

Which is definitely something they found true in the case of SaltWater. "We started out where we didn't really know how much high-end dining there would be. SaltWater was geared to be a high-end fish restaurant, but realistically with the economy the way it was, over time we've adjusted the style of food and brought the price point down considerably." Bourbon Steak also went through its own adjustments, such as adding a more affordable bar burger menu.

Mina might not be the most recognizable name or face in celebrity chefdom, but he is still the only celeb chef presence in Detroit with two high-end restaurants under his name, and he has absolutely no regrets about not being more in the limelight like some of his flashy culinary brethren. "I’m very fortunate: I’ve cooked for two presidents in the same week and have experienced things no one in the word has experienced, and it all came from cooking. I have a very methodical plan in my mind of how I like to be exposed." We may be seeing more of Mina in the media in the future, but for now at least we can enjoy his restaurants. 

[EID Feature] Amore à Detroit

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Valentine's Day. It's meant to be a day for romance (and a nice little retail push after the six-week-long post-holiday slump), not a day for neurotic meltdowns. If you're a "we," here are some swoon-worthy date ideas (or at least not the stale old dinner-at-a-fancy-restaurant formula) to impress her, him or them (hey, who am I to judge?). Ditch the impossible-to-get reservations and try out one of these alternative 100% Detroit dates* instead. (You're welcome.) If you're a "you," buck up buttercup; you answer to no one. XOXO

The ice rink at Campus Martius.

Get Outdoorsy
Take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and head over to one of the city's truest treasures, Belle Isle Park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed New York's Central Park), it's the largest island city park in the country and home to breathtaking landmarks like the beautifully restored James Scott Memorial Fountain and the Albert Kahn-designed Belle Isle Casino, Aquarium (recently reopened for one day during the annual Shiver on the River), and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory--home to one of the largest city-owned orchid collections in the country. Wander through the Conservatory to see all the colorful flowers in bloom, then head over to the Detroit Riverwalk, a beautiful walk even in frigid weather (and maybe especially so--colder weather means fewer people and more seclusion). End it all with ice skating at Campus Martius--all the inevitable tripping over and gripping onto to each other, falling and laughing is sure to induce romantic inclinations.

Get Arty
A date at the Detroit Institute of Arts may be tres cliché, but it got that way because, quite simply, it works. Start with coffee and a casual lunch at the Rowland Cafe inside the stunning art deco Guardian Building (and hey, since you're there go visit our friends at Pure Detroit), then head over to the DIA and, as their slogan goes, "go wonder around." Afterwards have dinner and cocktails at Cliff Bell's, Detroit's premiere jazz lounge--a fully-restored 1930s art deco nightclub in an Albert Kahn-designed building, and hands-down the best live venue in Detroit for anything from jazz to techno to burlesque. It also happens to be one of the best restaurants and craft cocktail bars in the city. For a slightly different speed, check out the Raven Lounge and Nightclub for Detroit's best blues and some serious soul food. And for lovers of classical music, a box seat at the DSO has no comparison (Mozart and Mahler plays Valentine's Day weekend).

Get Dirty
Valentine's Day at the Dirty Show is a Detroit tradition, though admittedly it's not for everyone. If you don't mind the sight of some prominently-displayed no-no parts, this annual erotic art exhibition is one of the largest erotic arts exhibitions in the world. Come for the art, stay for the performances; there's always plenty of aerial acts, burlesque shows, and appearances from some of our favorite local performers (like Satori Circus). Afterwards ... well, how do you top the Dirty Show? Lucky for you it's open until 2 a.m. so you don't actually have to, but if you get your fill of ... NAKED PEOPLE??? !!! ... then the only way to go is even dirtier. Catch a metal show at Blondie's. Dance to hardcore industrial at the Leland City Club until 4 a.m. (du ... du liebst ... du liebst mich). Or perhaps you're feeling a bit more refined: have a Date With the Dames at the Park Bar (the Detroit Dizzy Dames, that is, for some classic burly-q), then enjoy a nightcap at the Valentine Vodka distillery and martini lounge and soak in the speakeasy-meets-boudoir atmosphere with dramatic red velvet drapes and a prominent painting of the brand's saucy pin-up girl in ravishing red. (Granted, Valentine Vodka is in Ferndale, but for the namesake alone it's worth looking outside of the city.) Keep with the theme of the evening by ordering a Dirty Detroit martini (made with McClure's brine).

Get Sweaty
Now now, naughty monkey ... what I mean by that is, find your inner salsero. Is there anything sexier than the salsa? (Yes, the tango, but good luck finding a regular tango night 'round here.) Check out the listings on Salsa Detroit and bachata your butt over to the nearest Latin night. When in doubt, hit up Vicente's Cuban Cuisine, where their large selection of spicy Spanish and Cuban tapas and mojitos will provide all the fuel you need to burn up the dancefloor.

Dinner and a Movie
You just can't beat the classics. Sure, it's not all wine and roses, but neither are actual relationships--for couples a little more established (or those with a mutual fondness for indulging their inner child), sometimes the most important thing is just to have a little fun together. Catch a classic film at the historic Redford Theatre (in Detroit), an arthouse flick at the Detroit Film Theatre (while patiently awaiting the days until Corktown Cinema is up and running; LONG LIVE THE BURTON!), or something big budget and flashy at the Ren Cen 4 Theatre inside the Renaissance Center. Afterwards hit up the Cadieux Cafe for strong Belgian beer, steamed mussels and feather bowling. Alternatively, you can get some gourmet sliders and have a state-of-the-art cinema experience at the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak, then bowl at the 16-lane upscale Star Lanes, all in the same building. It's the Taj Mahal of movie theatres and I don't feel bad about including it here. It's a good theatre. And thorough.**

Take a Staycation
Book a fancy room, raid the fridge and minibar, rent a movie (what kind of movie is all up to you), order room service and stay in your PJs (or birthday suits) all day. Or, if you feel so inclined, get all fancy and have dinner at one of the hotel's renowned fine dining restaurants. The AAA four-diamond scores for 2012 were just released last month; on the list was the MGM Grand Detroit as well as Saltwater, the Michael Mina restaurant on the property; MotorCity Casino Hotel, as well as its signature restaurant Iridescence (Hour Detroit's "Restaurant of the Year" in 2011); and the Westin Book Cadillac (alas Roast was not bestowed the four diamonds, but it doesn't need them).

Stay Home
A home-cooked dinner (might I suggest lamb chops), wine (Bowers Harbor Vineyard 2008 2896 Langley for a killer example of a Michigan Merlot/Cab Franc), candles, music (Chopin is always a good go-to) -- a special night doesn't have to be spent amongst swarms of other people. Heck, some people might even be happy with pizza, beer and a sci-fi flick. (What?) Point is, quality time doesn't have to mean quality money. Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies!

*Note: some of these might not be doable on a Tuesday, but are perfect for weekend celebrations.
**Any opportunity I have to quote the Big Lebowski makes me happy.

[Real Detroit Weekly] Red Sauce

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

"We all know the big restaurant names inside the MGM Grand Detroit: the Wolfgang Puck Grille, Bourbon Steak, SaltWater, even Palette Dining Studio (the fancy buffet). But there's also Breeze Dining Court, and to assume that a "food court" is akin to high-volume/low-quality fast food joints would be a serious mistake: at Breeze, Chef Chris Sokolowski and his team certainly oversee a high-volume operation but do so with the same commitment to from-scratch items using quality products as you see throughout the rest of the property. Just, you know, wa-wa-wah-wayyyyy cheaper (for those of us whose champagne dreams and caviar fantasies don't come true after a night at the slots).

'Red Sauce is one of five restaurants inside Breeze that cater to a wide range of craveable flavors, from stir-fry to classic American grill (dressed up with Black Angus Beef and specialty relishes) to housemade desserts. While the name itself isn't new, the concept is: previously an Italian-themed restaurant, it was re-conceptualized as a Mexican eatery featuring a build-your-own burrito, nacho and taco bar in July..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Want to see more? Check out the Flickr set here.

Real Detroit Weekly: Wolfgang Puck Grille

I'm still reeling over that bottle of Latour.

"Wolfgang Puck Grille is one of four “Grilles” in the Wolfgang Puck family of restaurants. The premise of the Grille is to incorporate a little of everything from all of the Wolfgang Puck menu concepts under one roof. The end result is an establishment that caters as much to the clientele looking for a simple pizza and beer combo before a Red Wings game as it does to the wealthy business types looking for Prime Rib with a bottle of Chateau Lafite Bordeaux.

'You can tell a lot about a place by its wine list: and this one is carefully separated into “Old” and “New World” categorizations, heavy on the big name French and Californian producers and runs the full gamut of styles and price points in between. The cheapest bottle is a Pinot Gris from California at $32 — the most expensive, a bottle of 1982 Chateau Latour Bordeaux for $2450. (Realistically expect a midrange of $60-80.)..."

Read the rest of the review here.

Supper Club at Saltwater

Join Detroit Synergy’s Supper Club as we visit Detroit Free Press’s “Restaurant of the Year” for 2008: celebrity chef Michael Mina’s Saltwater inside the MGM Grand Detroit.

Saltwater is one of two Michael Mina restaurants located in the city of Detroit (Bourbon Steak, also inside MGM, being the other). Since debuting a little over two years ago, Saltwater has been lauded as one of the finest seafood restaurants in the metro area, offering a wide variety of fresh fish prepared with contemporary American refinement and exceptional attention to detail. This is less a classic fish market and more a full five-star opulent dining experience, focusing on the bounty of the sea for its elegant inspiration.

On Wednesday, February 24 beginning at 6:00PM, taste some of Saltwater’s seafood specialties with a special prix fixe menu designed just for Supper Club members at the low price of only $40.00 per person, including tax and gratuity. Only 40 seats are available: this event WILL sell out!

First Course

Ahi Tuna Tartar
Toasted pine nuts, ancho chile, sesame oil

Second Course

Dungeness Crab Agnolotti
Candied fennel, Maine shrimp

Third Course

Char-Grilled Loch Duart Salmon
Braised cabbage, hedgehog mushroom, mustard spätzle

Dessert

Key Lime Pie
Graham cracker, brown sugar meringue

Tickets are $40.00 in advance at the DSG store, http://shop.detroitsynergy.org, and include tax and gratuity. Tickets to this event are available by online purchase only, and all purchases must be made by the end of the day Tuesday, February 23rd.

Palette Dining Studio: It's Still a Buffet

I just love it when a restaurant has an anniversary (or, in this case, an entire casino complex)! 50% off is my middle name this week as I celebrate landmark anniversaries for both Opus One and MGM Grand Detroit! More on Opus One later (I look forward to cashing in on some $25 caviar tonight), but for now: Palette Dining Studio, take two.

They call themselves a "tapas-style" restaurant, but there really comes a time when you just need to call a buffet a buffet. If a heat source is needed to keep food items warm when they are prepared in the kitchen and brought out in large catering pans that are displayed on long counters with placards containing the names of said food items, it's a buffet.

As far as boo-fays go, Palette is be-yoo-tiful. With a thoroughly modern motif which echoes the look of the casino's other fine(r) dining establishments, Palette is certainly no Old Country. And at a regular price of $28.00 per diner, you can certainly expect main dishes a little more upscale than meatloaf.

Well, they did have meatloaf, but what I'm saying is that it's more than just meatloaf and mac & cheese. I mean, they have mac & cheese, but...oh, forget it.

Now through August 31st, diners can enjoy HALF OFF all buffet purchases (except for Wednesday nights, which is Alaskan crab leg night), excluding gratuity and alcohol purchases. This half-off special also applies to MGM's Breeze Dining Court and IGNITE Sushi Bar--which might not have the best sushi but the atmosphere is incomparable. All of this is in honor of MGM's 10th anniversary, so take advantage of the low prices while you can!

Truth be told, I wouldn't have bothered with a second trip to Palette if it weren't for the half off value. Is the upscale buffet dining experience worth $28.00? Hells no, but I'll pay $14.00 for it, sure.

The choices are varied enough: at the Asian "Far East" station, you have stir-fry, fried rice, gyoza, spring rolls, and select dishes like Kung Pao shrimp. "Fresh" gives you a selection of soups, salads, and breads--I tried the buffalo mozarella and the raspberry vinaigrette salads and was disappointed with both. The raisin sourdough bread--which you can get grilled over at the "Char" station--is great, though. Unfortunately for me, this is the station that once offered cheese tastes, but no more...sad face. "Char" is where all the meats are (as well as side fixin's like mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach); expect bratwurst, BBQ ribs, BBQ chicken thighs, a prime rib carving station, beef brisket, pork chops, lamb chops, and more. "Sea" is the best of the bunch, with a spicy lobster pasta, a hearty seafood pot pie, tasty fried calamari, sushi, peel-and-eat shrimp, deep-fried shrimp, and those once-weekly crab legs with drawn butter (almost worth the extra $14.00).

And finally, "Indulge"--greedy gluttons will grab platefuls of each eye-catching confection...and feel shame as the Hindi server clears their mostly-uneaten plates with a look that says simply, "Wasteful Americans." Perhaps next time one shared plate would suffice.

While the desserts are the most visually tantalizing part of the Palette experience, don't be surprised when appearances prove to be deceiving. The gelato is okay, the pastries an imitation of Goldilocks with "This one's too rich" and "This one's too bland" (though I never did find the one that was "Just right"). You can also get made-to-order crepes, and I believe there is also the occasional chocolate fountain. The desserts look amazing, as do the intricate chocolate sculptures on display above them, but after a thorough taste test I found them mostly meh.

For real, that's chocolate

Like any buffet, the key is in the timing. If you're paying full price, make sure you have the time to wait as fresh dishes are brought out (instead of eating what's left in the bottom of the pan that has been sitting out for 30 minutes). Also, consistency isn't always the case: my friend grabbed some of the remaining beef brisket which looked lean and juicy, but when the next batch was brought out it was considerably more fatty. Expect other ticks natural to this style of large-batch buffet-cooking: the lamb was overcharred, the prime rib tough. But for now through August 31st, for $14.00, it's worth the price and the patience. The only thing this buffet is missing is pizza...because pizza makes things better.

The Bar Burger at Bourbon Steak

Mmmmm-mmmm. That is a tasty burger.

The new Bar Burger at Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak was introduced about two and a half months ago as a way of attracting more customers into this pricey place during these times when people are less apt to drop a couple hundy on a meal (ignore the irony that the customers they are trying to attract are inside the MGM Grand Casino gambling their money away), and so far it has seen great success. According to our server, since introducing this new casual menu--available only in the bar and lounge areas--the restaurant has been progressively busier every single week. On this Tuesday night around 7:00PM, the dining room and bar were full and there was a wait at the front.

My friend and I decided to go here after previous dinner plans fell through. I said, "I just want a freakin' cheeseburger," and he said, "Oooh! We could go check out the Bar Burger at Bourbon Steak!" And so it was decided.

We sat down at the bar and were greeted warmly by the doorman and the bartender. I perused the wine list but, after spending several wonderful days in Michigan wine country, California reds at a 300% markup just weren't cutting it for me. I inquired about one of the beers on tap, from a brewery named "Avery" I had never heard of before. It was a Russian Imperial Stout called "The Czar" and I eagerly said yes (chuckling a little at the server's warning about the 10% alcohol content).

The beer was superb--creamy with heavy notes of espresso, chocolate, malted hops, and dark berries. I loved it. I loved all $11.00 of it.

Yep...this was just the beginning. To adequately tell this tale I need to start at the end: our total bill, for what was essentially two burgers, a shared order of fries, a beer and a well vodka drink was $56.18. If the idea was to attract more customers with the more casual fare, the target demographic is still those with deep pockets. (By comparison, for $5.50 at Lefty's Lounge I could have had a burger and a 22-oz draught beer and would probably have been equally as satisfied, not as far as quality per se, but at least as far as saving 30 bucks.)

We both ordered the all-beef burger, a blend of USDA Prime and American Kobe beef. Other choices include lamb, turkey, salmon, and falafel. Of the meats, none are less than $14.00. You can pick from a variety of accoutrements for your burger--the whole concept is a build-your-own burger bar with up to six add-ons. I chose farmhouse cheddar and Emmental Swiss, and also added on a side of Duck Fat Fries (a trio of differently-seasoned fries paired with three different sauces) for an extra $5.00.

The food came...after 30 minutes or so, anyway (our server admitted that they need more staff, and it was certainly no fault of his)...and yes, it WAS a tasty burger. Thick, tender, juicy, flavorful, perfectly cooked to my requested medium-well temperature and not at all charred. Despite the fact that I was getting full about halfway through, I forced myself to eat the whole thing because (a) I don't like leftovers and I would be damned if a single ounce of a 14-dollar burger wiould go to waste, and (b) if it's true what they say about red meat sitting in your colon for some seven or so years because of the body's difficulty in digesting it, then I wanted to make sure that thing would be keeping me company well into my thirties.

The fries were okay. Just okay. Being cooked in duck fat I was expecting something more, but no--they were just fries. Regular old uninteresting fries. The two seasoned samples I didn't care much for, nor did I care for the "Secret Sauce" or "Michael's BBQ" (or was it steak sauce? couldn't really tell). The unseasoned fries with the Onion Ketchup were tasty enough. But for 5 dollars I could buy enough fries from McDonald's to fill the trunk of my car, so I wasn't at all impressed.

We were fortunate enough to receive an accidental order of creamed spinach, which I admit was my first time ever trying spinach of the creamed variety, and it was surprisingly good. There were some bits of meaty bacon on top for added pizazz, but the bacon flavor permeates the dish and makes quite a compliment to the slightly bitter, creamy spinach. See, I can eat healthy--you just need to throw some bacon and dairy in there for me.

I nursed my 11-dollar beer and forcefed myself the 14-dollar burger and still felt a pang in my chest (though it could have been the burger) as I signed away $36.00 on a burger, beer, and fries, but yes...it was a tasty burger.

Was it worth $14.00? Possibly, but that still doesn't mean I wanted to spend that much. Besides, this isn't some high-falutin' Manhattan hotel, this is Detroit, where no one has jobs. Economically this "bar burger" doesn't seem to make much sense...but then again, the restaurant was packed, so what do I know?

Though on a different note I will say: love the decor.